Talking About the Wrong Stuff

What would you like to know about the national champion Harvard hockey team?

If you read the papers in St. Paul, Minn., last weekend, you were privy to a whole lot of interesting little Crimson facts.

But sorry, Minnesota readers. The papers were not talking about Harvard hockey. They were just talking about Hahvahd.

Let's talk SAT scores. Or net worth. Would you like to know what a year at Harvard costs? The amount of financial aid awarded? How many players dish out the full $18,000+ to play hockey for the oldest college in the land?

Junior Ed Krayer netted a goal to win the national championship in overtime, but during the post-game interviews few reporters asked about the play. The goal? Forget it. Tell us why you dropped out of school a year-and-a-half ago, Ed.

Leave Harvard? In the middle of the hockey season, no less? Was it (pause for emphasis here, folks) for academic reasons?

"The team and the hockey was great," Krayer explained, "but I just wasn't getting a lot out of being there. I felt like I was wasting a lot of my father's money."

How much of your father's money, Ed? Can you give it to us in round figures?

Over Here

Step over to your left, and we'll talk to Hughes, the rookie goalie who stayed cool through three hard-fought periods and one heart-stopping overtime.

Tell me, Chuckie, what do your parents do for a living? Your dad's a cop, you say? How much do Boston policemen make these days?

Even junior Tod Hartje, a local from Anoka, Minn., couldn't avoid the labels.

After Harvard's semifinal win on Thursday, during which Hartje set up an Ed Krayer goal on a beautiful banking pass off the boards, the local press asked him about his numbers. No, not stats. SAT scores.

So what about the hockey? You know--skills, style, shooting ability?

Well, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch, Harvard's a skating and shooting team--with a style almost like the play of Coach Doug Woog's Golden Gophers.

Almost.

The dumbest interview question of the tournament has to be awarded to a query directed at Harvard Coach Bill Cleary at the post-championship game press conference.

"How does this compare to Squaw Valley?" a reporter asked, referring to Cleary's gold-medal performance for the U.S. hockey team in the 1960 Winter Olympics.

Hughes and sophomore Ted Donato, seated to Cleary's left, couldn't help but roll their eyes.

Kicker on the front page of the St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch Thursday:

"Minnesota, three other teams to compete in NCAA Division I hockey tournament at Civic Center."

Surprised that Sunday's headline wasn't "Other team wins NCAA Championship."

Sports tip from last weekend's edition of USA Today: Minnesota goalie Robb Stauber, last year's Hobey Baker award recipient, is the favorite to win the 1989 Hobey.

Stauber was not only passed over for the Hobey Baker (which was won by Crimson Captain Lane MacDonald), he didn't make the All-America first or second team and got beat out by Harvard freshman Allain Roy for the NCAA All-Tourney team.

Oops.

More Minnesota media facts on the Harvard team:

Three players pay the full $20,000 to go to Harvard.

Hughes' father had to remortgage his house to pay the tuition.

The program--with no scholarships and a part-time coach--is operated like a Division III school.

Oh, and it plays pretty good hockey too.